


[vore] Bad Brother Bunny AU

by wolfbunny



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Bunny AU, M/M, Patchwork AU, Soft Vore, Vore, Wolf AU, bad brother au, kemonomimi skeletons, safe vore, unwilling prey
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-15
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-17 15:47:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,219
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29474205
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wolfbunny/pseuds/wolfbunny
Summary: I have combined Bad Brother AU with Bunny AU (also featuring Underfell wolves)
Relationships: Papyrus/Sans (Undertale), Papyrus/Underfell Sans (Undertale) - Relationship
Comments: 10
Kudos: 30





	1. Chapter 1

The first thing Sans did when the wolf appeared was to grab onto Papyrus’s arm. Papyrus wasn’t sure if his brother was trying to protect him or hide behind him, but he was touched either way. The next thing Sans did was to shove him toward the wolf, giving himself that much more momentum as he dashed away, and perhaps a little more of a head start as the wolf was distracted with Papyrus.

Papyrus sprawled in the snow but immediately scrambled to his feet again. By this time the wolf was looming over him. It was a skeleton monster too, dressed in black, its dingy red sneakers now planted in the snow on either side of Papyrus. Maybe he could still get out of range before the larger monster could lean over and pluck him out of the snow, but his instincts were stuck on ‘freeze.’

“Looks like yer friend abandoned you, bunny,” the wolf said, looking down at him. It had a fluffy collar on its jacket and notches in its red-furred ears, matching red eyelights that leered down at him from its cracked and battered skull.

“He’s not my friend, he’s my brother!” Papyrus corrected, then flinched. He hadn’t meant to say Sans wasn’t his friend. But perhaps Sans was out of earshot by now.

“That’s even worse,” said the wolf, crouching down. Papyrus tried to bolt at the last moment as the wolf reached out, but it scooped him up, its phalanges thicker than his spine. It lifted him up level with its face, and he couldn’t stop staring at the wide crack through its left eye socket. “But on the other hand, I guess he won’t miss you that much.”

Papyrus flinched again. “Yes he will.” Sans might not show his appreciation much, but there was no denying he’d have a harder time finding food on his own. Maybe that would manifest as missing Papyrus rather than berating him for getting eaten.

The wolf ignored him, its sharp teeth parting to reveal a glistening red tongue. It loosened its grip to let Papyrus slide down its metacarpals toward the widening maw.

Papyrus scrabbled for a hold on the wolf’s hand, bringing himself to a halt, but his feet had slipped past the edges of the teeth, and the wolf bit down on them just firmly enough to pull Papyrus’s hands loose and let him resume sliding. He determined to get a better grip on the wolf’s metacarpals this time, but now that his legs were resting on its tongue, it angled its hand to push him further in. The slick tongue provided no resistance, and Papyrus found himself inside the dimly lit cave of its mouth, his legs already down its throat. He held onto its hand for dear life, but this plan had some obvious flaws. The wolf’s teeth closed on his arms as it pulled its hand away, and he braced himself for the crack if it bit down hard. But the wolf only kept him imprisoned while it freed its hand from his grasp, pressing his skull against the back of its teeth until he was forced to let go, not applying any pressure to his arms.

But even with that mercy, he was left in the wolf’s mouth, lying across its tongue ready to be slurped down at any moment. His hands still protruding between the wolf’s teeth, he felt around as well as he could for anything that might provide an anchor. There was nothing, unsurprisingly, but maybe he could make a last desperate attempt to catch hold of the teeth themselves.

He tried, as the tongue pushed him deeper, but the teeth were smooth and his fingers slipped off. “Wait!” he cried at the last second, but if the wolf heard him it gave no sign. His legs were already enveloped in the soft magic of its throat. He dug his fingers into its tongue, but it was pliant and slippery and didn’t slow him down at all. In a moment the wolf’s flesh pressed in from all sides, squeezing him down until at last he came to rest, presumably in its stomach. He blinked fluids from his sockets—probably wolf saliva—and felt around at the wrinkly soft walls of his prison. It wasn’t pitch black, but dimly lit with the glow of the wolf’s ectoflesh and a little outside light filtering in through its shirt at the open front of its jacket. When Papyrus had calmed down he could make out the spine and ribs around him. Slipping a couple times in the process, he pushed himself upright to search wider for any irregularities in the wall.

“Simmer down in there,” said the wolf, its voice echoing from above. “That tickles.”

“Oh! I’m sorry,” Papyrus apologized reflexively, pulling his hands back, which made him lose his balance, legs sliding out from under him and leaving him a tangled heap at the bottom of the space.

The wolf laughed. Papyrus held still, but he could feel motion—the wolf must be going somewhere. It didn’t seem to be in a hurry or making any sudden pounces, so it probably wasn’t chasing Sans, at least. That was something to be thankful for. Holding his body still gave his mind a chance to catch up with his situation. It didn’t seem likely that he would get out of here under his own power unless he could climb back up the way he came in. But everything was so slippery. He hoped the wolf didn’t feel him trembling.

He could tell when the wolf came to a stop. Light flooded in, tinted red through its ectoflesh. It had lifted up its shirt to peek in at him. “You okay in there, bunny? You didn’t hafta go totally still like that.”

Papyrus trembled harder. He couldn’t even follow simple instructions right. Of course. How many times had Sans told him that? “Sorry,” he said, wondering what it was the wolf wanted him to do.

“Don’t apologize, bunny,” the wolf scoffed.

Papyrus tensed. Of course an apology meant nothing if he didn’t correct his behavior. Maybe the wolf would at least tell him explicitly what he was supposed to do. He didn’t dare hope he could earn mercy.

“Just relax,” said the wolf. The light was cut off again and Papyrus heard a large door creak open.

He tried to relax. But he couldn’t stop shaking. What if he made the wolf angry? The thought just made him tremble harder.

“Hey, Boss.” The wolf was addressing someone else. 

Papyrus could hear another creature moving around. “Well? Did you catch anything?”

“Course I did.”

Light flooded in again, dimmer but warmer now that they were indoors, and Papyrus could make out a skeletal face on the other side of the ectoflesh, another wolf just as scarred and boasting even bigger fangs.

“He looks scared,” the new wolf said, disapproving.

“Probably ‘cause he got a look at you.”

“You didn’t explain anything to him, did you?” The new wolf sighed, disappointed but not surprised, and straightened, its face disappearing from view.

“He’ll calm down eventually,” the first wolf argued.

“You had better apologize for scaring him unnecessarily.”

“Hear that, bunny? No need to be scared.”

Papyrus found he wasn’t trembling anymore. He didn’t have the energy. He thought perhaps he should answer the wolf, but he was too sleepy to think of any words. So he drifted off, the wolves’ voices fading into meaningless background noise as he lost consciousness.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lots of aftercare

“—and didn’t give him any explanation at any point!”

“How would you know? You weren’t there.”

“Are you saying you did?”

“Well, I’m not sayin’ I didn’t—oh, look, he’s awake.”

Papyrus usually woke up easily, ready to start the day and get some things done while his brother was still asleep. But for some reason he was horribly groggy. Two wolf-eared skulls were looming over him, and he might have thought that would be alarming enough to wake him up fully, but apparently not. He was indoors, something soft under him, probably not the floor as the wolves’ faces were too close.

“Hey, bunny, how ya doin’?” said the first wolf, amicably.

Papyrus opened his mouth to answer but that motion alone exhausted his energy reserves.

“Tired, huh?”

“And whose fault is that?” The second wolf jabbed the first one with a finger. “I’ll fix him something to eat while you explain the situation. Properly.”

“Yeah, yeah, fine,” grumbled the first wolf as the other disappeared from view. “Okay, bunny. What’s yer name?”

It took a moment to gather the energy to answer. “Papyrus.”

“Great, I’m Red. You probably noticed you’re missing some magic. I, uh… That’s why I eat prey monsters. Need to borrow some magic.”

Papyrus still didn’t feel up to moving his skull but his consternation must have shown on his face.

“Don’t worry, you’ll be good as new when you get some food in ya,” the wolf—Red—assured him.

That sounded good, but Papyrus didn’t really have the energy to think very hard about it right now. This wasn’t like him. Sans always said ‘energetic’ was the only positive word that described him.

“My brother?” he asked.

“Don’t worry ‘bout him neither, I didn’t do anything to ‘im,” the wolf answered with a chuckle. “Probably safe at home by now.”

That was a relief at least. Papyrus relaxed and nearly fell asleep again, but the other wolf returned.

“Can he sit up?” The taller wolf was almost uncomfortably loud. Papyrus had renewed empathy for his brother telling him to be quieter.

“Nah, he’s pretty out of it. Better use the syringe.”

Something hard poked between Papyrus’s jaws, but before he could be too alarmed, his mouth was filled with some kind of liquid, warm and delicious. He swallowed and it replenished, monster food restoring his reserves, until he pushed the thing away and sat up. “What is that?”

“Vegetable broth,” the taller wolf answered. “Don’t worry, I know about rabbits.”

“Hard for a bunny not to worry when he catches sight of you, Boss.”

“Speak for yourself. Bunny, can you use a spoon now?”

“Yes, thank you!” said Papyrus, ears perking up. The bowl was bigger than his biggest soup pot at home and the spoon, while it looked small when the wolf was holding it, was inconveniently large. Still, Papyrus made do.

“How is it?” Red asked, tail wagging.

“Excellent!” said Papyrus, and the other wolf—Boss?—beamed with pride.

“You can thank my brother, Edge,” said Red.

Papyrus cocked his head. “Thank you, Edge,” he said to the taller wolf. He hoped that was right. Or was his name Boss after all, and there was a third wolf named Edge in the kitchen?

“You’re quite welcome,” the wolf answered. “It’s the least we can do after my brother ate you.”

Relieved he’d gotten the name right, Papyrus took another drink of the soup, but there was no way he could finish the entire bowl. “It’s so kind of you,” he hedged, ears falling back, “but I can’t eat all of this.” He gripped the spoon tightly, wondering if he could have phrased that better. Would Edge think he meant that it wasn’t good enough to finish?

“Of course!” Edge whisked the bowl away immediately. “You bunnies are very small monsters. Are you feeling better?”

“Much better!” Papyrus brightened.

“If you don’t mind waiting, I’ll have something a bit more substantial and bunny-appropriate prepared by the time you’re hungry again,” Edge offered.

“Really?” Papyrus was pretty sure his sockets were full of sparkles. He couldn’t remember the last time anyone had been so nice to him.

“Of course,” Edge said again, and went back into the kitchen, tail waving behind him.

Papyrus found himself alone with Red again, which was fine—the wolf didn’t seem to intend to hurt him—and they’d been alone together a few minutes ago while Edge was preparing the broth. But when he looked up at Red, he couldn’t help notice all his sharp teeth and remember what they felt like and what was behind them. He looked away, hiding his discomfort, turned too fast and caught himself by propping his hands against the soft surface—it looked like a towel spread over the wolves’ table.

“There, there, sorry I scared ya.” Red saw through him easily and reached out one hand. Papyrus flinched, but the wolf didn’t grab him, instead gently stroking his ears with a fingertip.

Papyrus leaned against the wolf’s hand. It was the same hand that had fed him between his jaws earlier, but somehow it still provided comfort.

“No, I’m sorry I’m overreacting like this,” he said, holding onto the wolf’s finger. “My brother always says I’m too emotional.”

“What?” The wolf curled his fingers around the bunny a little tighter. “That’s nuts. If anything you’re takin’ this really well.”

By the time Edge came back, Red was stretched out on the couch with the bunny curled up on his belly, relishing the continuing gentle strokes of the wolf’s thumb on his ears. 

“You two certainly seem to be getting along,” Edge observed with a snort. 

“I think he’s more starved for touch than for magic,” answered Red. 

“No, I—” Papyrus protested. His brother took good care of him. He didn’t want for anything. But he couldn’t stop himself cuddling up against the wolf’s hand. “I’ve never starved...very much.” 

Edge tilted his ears back but changed the subject. “You certainly won’t now because dinner is ready. Do you mind if Red or I carry you to the table?”

“Of course not.” Papyrus sat up straight. Red scooped him up, cradling him on his back, and Papyrus supposed that was easier than keeping him stable while the wolf stood up from the couch. 

“Be gentle,” Edge admonished, but he must not have been too concerned as he turned back toward the kitchen. 

“I am,” Red protested, which was fair enough. He barely jostled Papyrus on the way to the kitchen and set him down very carefully. 

Edge had set up a seat for Papyrus on top of the table itself. All the dishes and silverware were still comically large but he had a cushion to sit on and a thick magazine to use as a table. The food doled out to him was again far too much. It was stacked as high as his knee.

“What is this?” he asked, hoping to strike a respectful tone. 

“Vegetable lasagna,” Edge answered. 

“You haven’t lived until you’ve tried it,” Red added, already sitting at his place and carving his first forkful. 

Papyrus hesitantly picked up a spoon. The fork seemed entirely unmanageable. 

“Don’t worry if you need to use your hands,” said Edge, a little uncomfortably. “We can clean you up afterward.”

The lasagna was just as delicious as Red made it sound, although there was no way for Papyrus to get all the layers at once. And he was forced to give up on the utensils and eat with his hands after all. And of course he couldn’t finish everything Edge had put on his plate. 

“Would you like to get cleaned up now?” Edge asked when he noticed the bunny was no longer eating. 

“Oh—I don’t think Red is finished yet,” Papyrus wavered, not wanting to be rude to either of his hosts. 

“Never mind him; he’s a glutton. Come with me and I’ll take care of you.” The taller wolf stood up from the table and took a step closer to Papyrus. His hand rose, and Papyrus had to tamp down the urge to bolt. He knew Edge would be gentle picking him up. But the hand didn’t grab him, instead resting flat on the table beside him. Papyrus stared at it for a moment before climbing aboard, admiring the deep red gloves that the wolf seemed to be always wearing, even at the table. 

“Do you mind bathing in the sink?” Edge asked. 

Papyrus shook his head. If the wolves had a bathtub or shower it would surely be far too big for him. 

Edge carried him the few steps to the kitchen counter and ran a hot bubble bath in a soup bowl. 

“I’ll take your clothes,” the wolf offered. 

“Oh,” said Papyrus, not having thought about that. But there was no point being shy around the wolves now, when they could have eaten or killed him at any point if they’d wanted. 

He stripped off his shirt and pants and jumped into the bubbles. Edge wasn’t paying attention to him anyway. Finally having removed his gloves, the wolf was carefully washing the discarded clothing. 

“I’m no connoisseur of rabbit fashion but aren’t these somewhat threadbare?”

“Oh. Er.” Papyrus hid himself deeper in the bubbles. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s nothing to apologize for.” Edge hung the shirt up on a towel rack. “But maybe we can find something to keep you a little warmer on your way home.”

“Home?” Papyrus echoed, ears perking up so fast they flicked bubbles into the air.

“Yes, you can’t leave until your clothes are dry anyway, so I should have time to arrange something.”

“Leave? You mean I can—just go?”

“Of course you can. What did my brother tell you?” Edge shot a glare at the Red, who paused in licking his plate clean to look back innocently.

“Nothing, I just. Assumed.” Papyrus kept his eyes fixed on the bubbles. He was going to go home. He wasn’t never going to see Sans again.

“You’re not a prisoner here,” Edge growled softly. Done with the clothes, he soaped up a toothbrush and started to scrub the bunny’s skull. Papyrus leaned into it. After a while, the wolf let go of the brush to allow Papyrus to use it to clean the rest of his bones.

“Rinse?” Edge asked when he was done, turning on the faucet. Papyrus stepped out of the bowl, but Edge blocked him from entering the water. “Wait a second. It’s cold.”

When Papyrus had rinsed off in the now luxuriously warm water, Edge wrapped him in a bunny-sized towel that must have been cut from a washcloth. Papyrus jumped a little when the wolf picked him up, but found he wasn’t scared, only startled.

“Don’t eat him again or we’ll have to start over,” Edge warned, handing the bunny off to Red.

“Gotcha,” Red confirmed, leaving his dishes for Edge to clean up and carrying Papyrus out to the couch. He set the bunny down on the cushion, turned on the TV, and sat down next to him. “You bunnies have a TV?”

“We do!” Papyrus confirmed, inching closer to the wolf in hopes of getting his ears scritched again. “But my brother usually decides what to watch.”

“Oh yeah? Then what do you wanna watch?”

“Mettaton!” Papyrus answered instantly. He often watched the robot’s programming when Sans was still asleep, but he almost never had a chance to watch the latest and best shows that aired during prime time.

“Bunnies like that guy too?” Red smirked, changing the channel. “I guess he’s not bad. Boss watches ‘im too.”

Papyrus was instantly transfixed. Watching on the wolves’ TV was like being in a movie theater—not that he’d ever done that. Only when the commercial break came on did he remember to scoot up hopefully next to Red’s hand, resting on his leg.

Red must have understood, because he picked up where he’d left off earlier, stroking the bunny’s ears. It was a little awkward because he was still only wearing a towel, but Papyrus leaned against the wolf’s leg as the TV show resumed, more content than he could remember being in a long time.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Papyrus goes home.

Another program had started by the time Edge came in to let them know Papyrus’s clothes were dry. “I mended a couple of the larger holes as well, but I’m afraid you’ll find the stitches rough. It’s very delicate work.”

“Oh! Thank you.” Papyrus sat up, almost forgetting to keep the towel in place. “I—should go ahead and get changed?” His ears dropped.

“Come on, Boss, let ‘im watch the end of this show.” Red kept his hand cupped around the bunny.

“Of course.” Edge nodded approvingly at their choice of viewing. “But you might be more comfortable in proper clothes.”

“Why don’t you wait for the commercials?” said Red.

Papyrus was torn, not used to having two monsters at once telling him what to do. Red didn’t want him to miss part of the show, but Edge thought he should put his clothes back on. Should he get dressed right here on the couch? Edge at least had already seen him naked, and Red had eaten him, so he didn’t suppose his privacy mattered much. But he didn’t want to make things awkward if the wolves didn’t feel that way. And he wasn’t sure he felt that way either.

Edge seemed to pick up on his indecision. “Red, look away,” he ordered as he handed Papyrus his clothes, facing away himself.

“Thank you,” said Papyrus, noting the repairs, but not spending too much time admiring them. He was already distracted enough from the story of the show that Red was generously letting him watch. He pulled his clothes on, but didn’t think to tell the wolves he was done until Red, alerted by the bunny leaning against his hand, risked looking at him again.

“You done?” the wolf asked.

“Oh. Yes. Sorry. Thank you, Edge.”

“Of course,” said Edge gruffly, and joined them on the couch, since Red had left plenty of room for Papyrus and the bunny wasn’t using any of it.

Red chuckled at his brother and started petting Papyrus’s back and spine as well as his skull and ears. Papyrus relaxed against him, trying to recapture his contentment—and the thread of the TV show plot—but he couldn’t stop thinking that when the show ended he would have to leave.

He almost wished the show wouldn’t end, but of course, it did.

Edge coughed over the ending credits. “Papyrus. Before you go, I would like to give you this.”

The present wasn’t wrapped, but it was folded neatly. Papyrus almost felt bad unfolding it to see what it was—a length of bright red cloth, just a scrap from the wolves’ perspective but thick and warm for a smaller monster like him.

“It’s a scarf,” Edge explained.

Papyrus put it on immediately, not sure if he was crying because he was so touched by the wolves’ generosity or because Edge clearly expected him to leave and go home.

“Looks good on ya,” said Red. “Are you sure you don’t wanna stay a little longer?”

Papyrus looked up at him, ears pressed back. Could he stay? Would that be allowed? But no, he couldn’t. “I—should get back to my brother. He must be worried.”

“Ya sure?” Red pressed.

“Y-yes.” Papyrus couldn’t just abandon his brother. Sans needed him. And besides, a bunny didn’t belong with wolves, really.

Edge stood up, and Papyrus cringed against the smaller wolf, expecting to be whisked away.

But Edge didn’t grab him. Instead, he said, “Red! You should take him back where you found him. Or closer to his burrow, if he was far afield!”

“Yeah, all right,” Red grumbled, picking up the bunny gently as he got off the couch. “You wanna ride in my pocket, bunny?”

Papyrus looked up at him uncertainly.

“No? I can just hold ya.” He cupped the bunny against his chest and set off, Edge opening the door for him with an air of impatience. It was cold outside, but between the wolf’s sweater and his new scarf, Papyrus barely felt it.

“Mind if I take a shortcut?” Red asked when the door was closed behind them. A moment later, he set Papyrus down in the clearing where they’d first met. Papyrus had never gotten a good look at the outside of the wolves’ house, so although it didn’t make sense for them to get here so quickly, he felt surprisingly little disorientation. “Look familiar?” Red asked as the bunny stepped off his hand into the snow.

Papyrus shuddered a bit. It hadn’t snowed while he’d been with the wolves, and the tracks in the snow still told the story of their encounter.

“Know your way home from here?” Red asked again.

“Of course!” Papyrus adopted a cheery attitude. He didn’t want this to be a sad goodbye.

“Is it close?”

“Yes, just over there!” Papyrus gestured, then flinched. He shouldn’t have given that information to a wolf. Then again, if Sans had gone straight home it would be easy to follow his tracks from here anyway, if Red was curious.

“I think I’d like to meet that brother you mentioned.”

Papyrus didn’t quite like Red’s tone. “I—don’t think he likes wolves very much.”

“Heh. I probably just startled him earlier. Come on.”

It did seem a simple enough request, after all the wolves had done for him. And if Sans didn’t want to talk to the wolf, he could retreat into the burrow.

“All right,” he agreed. “But he’ll probably still be afraid of you.”

Red shrugged, unbothered. So Papyrus led him through the snow to the door of their burrow and knocked. As he waited he glanced over his shoulder at Red. The wolf’s ears dipped as if he disapproved of something. Papyrus realized he was inconveniencing Sans by making him come to the door, rather than just going into his own house, but the wolf couldn’t come in with him and he’d asked to meet Sans, so it couldn’t be avoided. 

Sans did seem irritable when he finally opened the door, at least for a moment. Then his ears perked up in surprise. “Papyrus? You’re alive?”

“Yes! I—made a new friend,” Papyrus said by way of explanation. Now that Sans and the wolf were coming face to face he realized the gravity of what he’d done by bringing a wolf home with him. Sans would be furious. 

“You—made friends?!” Sans stared past him at Red. “Unbelievable!”

“He’s not that bad at all once you get to know him a little!” Papyrus explained. Perhaps this was going well after all. 

Sans’s expression hardened and his ears leaned back. “Or maybe he just saw the chance to get two rabbits instead of one.”

“He doesn’t need another rabbit,” Papyrus protested. “I don’t think?” He looked back at Red. Surely he’d been enough to satisfy the wolf for the time being? But he hadn’t asked how frequently Red needed prey. 

“He probably decided you were too scrawny.” Sans raised his voice to address the wolf. “Change your mind, huh? Let the wrong one get away?”

“He isn’t ‘too scrawny.’ He was very satisfactory,” Red answered, sneering at Sans. 

“Then why’d you bring him back here instead of eating him?”

“Oh, he did though!” Papyrus corrected his brother, hiding a pang that Sans didn’t seem bothered by the idea. 

“Did what?”

“Eat me.”

Sans glowered. “Obviously not.”

“Sure I did. C’mere and I’ll show ya.” Red was suddenly a lot closer behind Papyrus than he had been a moment ago, and he’d reached into the door before even Sans could react, wrapping his fingers around the bunny and lifting him out of the burrow. 

“Let go of me, you bloodthirsty hairball!” Sans snarled, struggling as the wolf tightened his grip. 

“Calm down, you little carrot muncher, don’t you wanna know what happened to your brother?” Red countered. 

“Ah, Red, I don’t think he would be interested in a demonstration,” Papyrus cautioned, placing a hand on Red’s ankle as if he could restrain him. 

“Then maybe he should listen more politely when you’re tellin’ him your harrowing encounter with a wolf.”

“That’s okay, I couldn’t quite believe it myself at first either.”

Sans continued to struggle and finally bit into Red’s hand. 

“Hey,” the wolf protested, transferring him to his other hand and examining the damage. “I wasn’t really gonna eat you, but now I gotta get that HP back again. Hope you’re ready to take responsibility.” He let Sans dangle over his open jaws. 

“Wait!” shouted both bunnies at once. 

“Eat Papyrus if you gotta eat someone. This is all his fault!” Sans continued. 

Red closed his mouth in order to direct an outraged look at Papyrus, gesturing with his free hand to the dangling bunny. 

“That’s fair,” Papyrus agreed. “I don’t—I mean—I brought you here and that’s why you got bitten.”

“But HE actually bit me,” Red pointed out. 

“He doesn’t know. He thinks he’s in danger.”

“He is.” Red grinned toothily. 

“Red, no!” Papyrus was sure the wolf wouldn’t actually hurt his brother, but he sure wasn’t helping. 

“All right, fine.” Red let Sans drop into the snow instead. 

Sans scrambled to his feet, spraying Papyrus with snow in his urgency. “Take your ‘friend’ and get out of here!” he hissed. “If you’re going to hang out with wolves you can at least have the decency to get eaten yourself and not lure other rabbits to their death!”

“But Sans—” Papyrus wanted to clarify what had happened, but Sans disappeared into the burrow and closed the door, never taking his eyes off Red. 

Papyrus and Red stared at the door for a second. “He needs some time to cool down,” Papyrus explained. 

“Ah, sorry.” Red ran his fingers over one ear, embarrassed. “I did just make things worse, didn’t I? I just—you know. I like messin’ with new bunnies.”

Papyrus had to admit that wasn’t a very upstanding hobby, but he didn’t want to criticize Red when the wolf had been the only one to be bitten. “It’s okay. Sometimes he gets angry over little things, and he was very surprised to see me, so that probably just made him emotional.”

“Do you wanna come back home with me? He did tell you to take your friend and get out.”

“Well.” Papyrus thought about it. He did need somewhere to be for a while at least since he couldn’t go into the burrow. “Okay.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Papyrus gets to see Sans again.

“Today I really should go check on my brother!” Papyrus said, for the fifth day in a row. He was fitting in well with the wolves, even if it took some acrobatics to get up to the kitchen counter. He made up for it with his attention to detail and ability to get into small spaces—or at least Edge had complimented them on multiple occasions when he worried about earning his keep. Red had pointed out that he also didn’t eat much.

“No you shouldn’t,” said Red from above, sitting on the couch while Papyrus patrolled the space underneath for any dust bunnies that might have formed overnight. “He knows where to find you if he decides he cares.”

Papyrus flinched at the suggestion his brother might not care, but ignored it. “No, he doesn’t. You didn’t even leave a trail back here.” He’d found out about Red’s shortcuts, which meant the wolves’ house could be miles from their burrow. Edge said it wasn’t far, but he had long legs even for a wolf; ‘not far’ for him could be insurmountable for a bunny, Papyrus worried.

“There aren’t any other wolves nearby,” Edge countered as he dusted around the TV. “If he can bring himself to ask around, he shouldn’t have any trouble finding us.”

Papyrus straightened his dusting apron, frowning. He wanted to argue that Sans wouldn’t voluntarily come anywhere he knew there would be wolves, but he also didn’t want to argue with his generous hosts. Red hadn’t even tried to eat him since their first meeting.

“I hope he does come. I’m getting hungry again.” Red stretched out on the couch, as if luxuriating in the thought of prey that came to him without having to be chased.

“You had seconds at breakfast. And thirds!” Edge pointed out.

“Not that kind of hungry. You know what I mean.”

“You shouldn’t talk about that in front of our rabbit.”

“Oh! That kind of hungry!” Papyrus realized aloud. “You should—I can help with that, perhaps.”

“You don’t have t’do that,” Red purred. “I can go out and catch something—someone. That’s what I’ve always done before.”

“Oh but—“ Papyrus started to protest. He didn’t want another monster to be scared like he had been. But he thought it might not be okay to remind Red of how scared he’d been. Red knew, surely? Edge had lectured him on not torturing his prey, but did that mean Papyrus had no duty to the other prey monster?

“Look, you’re upsetting him!” Edge scooped Papyrus up as if physically distancing him from Red would help. 

“No, no, it’s just—” Papyrus broke off again, clinging to Edge’s scarf. He thought it would be best if Red just ate him since he was there and understood why he needed to, but he couldn’t quite bring himself to say it.

“Sorry.” Red folded his ears apologetically although there was little repentance in his voice. “I won’t talk about it to you then.”

“Yes, maybe it’s better if you just grab me out of nowhere,” Papyrus agreed. That would spare him the anticipation, which was probably the worst part. 

The wolves stared at him. 

“What? No, I meant I won’t tell you I’m gonna go hunting.” Red chuckled, relaxing again. 

“Hmph,” Edge growled affectionately. “Come on, Papyrus, we’d better start on lunch if we want to keep this glutton fed.”

Papyrus’s ears stood up eagerly as Edge carried him into the kitchen. He’d found he enjoyed cooking even with the difficulties of the wolves’ over-sized utensils, and they were figuring out more and more workarounds. 

***

Red suspected Edge was giving him a chance to slip away unnoticed, and he took it. He didn’t move until he heard the other two busy in the kitchen. Then he quietly stood up and teleported outside. 

All the prey monsters who lived in the immediate neighborhood already knew him and most avoided him. He had to venture farther and farther afield to find new prey. He told Edge it was just as well not to put the same monster through it twice, but he couldn’t deny he savored the new prey’s reactions. Repeat prey was usually more angry than scared. 

But it wouldn’t hurt to look around nearby and see if one of his few regulars was around. He meandered in a wide curve away from the house, looking for tracks, and after a while he came across some. He didn’t recognize them immediately, but they were about rabbit size. 

As he followed the tracks he felt like he’d seen them before, and not too long ago. He was sure he would recognize Slim’s or Lust’s or Blueberry’s, so he had to conclude it was some local prey who wouldn’t be happy to see him. He should just leave them alone, really, but curiosity got the better of him and he followed the tracks until he heard footsteps ahead. 

He stopped just out of sight and listened closely to pinpoint the monster. He grinned, deciding to pounce first and see who it was afterward. He would decide what to do with them then. Maybe he would let them go with a lesson about not getting stalked by a wolf. 

Red teleported just above the monster and dropped onto them, hands outstretched to press them into the snow. “Got ya!”

It was a bunny after all, with blue ears that quickly folded down as it twisted to look up at him. 

“You!” Red nearly let go when he recognized the monster. “You’re about the last monster I expected to see around here.” He carefully adjusted his grip so as not to get bitten again. 

“Can’t say the same about you,” Sans sneered. “I just wanted to see if you’ve eaten my brother yet.”

“Not since last time I saw you,” Red sneered back.

Sans seemed confused. “So is he alive or not?”

“Of course he’s alive,” Red scoffed. “Tell ya what. I’ll take you to him.”

“Generous of you,” grumbled Sans, not sounding very grateful.

Red picked him up out of the snow. The bunny was first annoyed, then alarmed when Red didn’t carry him away toward the house, instead raising Sans closer to his face and licking his teeth.

“Hey,” the bunny protested. “I thought you were gonna—you ate him after all, didn’t you?”

“I did not.” Red was affronted. “And I am taking you back to the house, where he is, and you’ll see how uneaten he is.”

“Not if you eat me, I won’t.” Sans was trying to wriggle out of his hands now.

“Yes you will. Trust me for a second.” Red shoved the bunny in his mouth unceremoniously.

Sans yelped and struggled harder, but Red wasted no time gulping him down. Sans squirmed the whole time, and once he’d arrived in Red’s stomach he flailed around for a bit before being convinced it was useless. When he’d curled up, muttering resentfully, Red finally started trudging home.

He thought better of his plan when he opened the door to let himself in. Edge had just yelled at him for upsetting Papyrus with talk of hunting, and now he’d hunted the bunny’s brother and come home to show him.

But it was too late to turn back. Apparently released from his kitchen duties, Papyrus was dusting the TV stand and turned to greet him as he came in.

“Hello, Red!” The bunny opened his mouth and then stopped. He couldn’t have caught sight of Sans, could he? Red was sure his sweater covered his prey. Maybe Papyrus was just stopping himself asking if he’d had any luck hunting.

“Got somethin’ for ya.” Red figured there was no point delaying the inevitable. It would just make Sans angrier.

Papyrus smiled stiffly. “Oh? What is it?”

“Thought you might wanna see how your brother’s doin’.” Red pulled his sweater up. 

Papyrus rushed over, planting his hands against Red’s ectoflesh. “Is he okay?”

“Course he is.”

“I am NOT.” Sans contradicted him.

Red leaned over to look in at him, careful not to shove Papyrus out of the way. “Yes, you are.”

“No, I’m not. I got eaten by a wolf and all because I came to rescue you!” Sans directed this at his brother.

Papyrus looked from Sans to Red. “I’m—sorry! I didn’t—Red, you’ll let him out, won’t you? Could you—right away?”

“I dunno, I don’t think he’s learned his lesson yet,” said Red, straightening up and proceeding over to the couch.

“Er—what is he supposed to learn?” Papyrus asked, trailing close behind.

“To be nice and polite.” Red heaved himself onto the couch.

“That’s rich coming from you,” said Edge from the kitchen doorway. He had no doubt heard everything.

Papyrus didn’t say anything but looked at Red pleadingly.

“All right, fine, I’ll let him out,” Red relented.

“Good. I’ll fix him something to eat,” said Edge.

“Ah, he doesn’t need anything, he’s hardly been in there any time at all.”

“Red, don’t be stingy. Papyrus, come with me. I’m sure you know best what your brother would like.”

***

“I’m sorry Red did this to your brother.”

Papyrus was looking at the array of leftovers in the fridge but somehow unable to focus on them. “What? Oh. It’s okay. I know he won’t hurt him.” But he would still rather Red hadn’t done it, if only because Sans would be outraged. And besides, his brother didn’t deserve to be scared like he must have been when Red swallowed him. Papyrus redoubled his resolve to volunteer himself, since he knew it was safe already and therefore logically shouldn’t be scared—especially since he and Red were friends now!

“You mentioned he likes carrots. I’ll heat up this casserole and you can chop some fresh ones for the salad.” 

Papyrus knew Edge well enough by now to see the concern in the tilt of his ear, even though his voice was gruff. “All right!” he agreed, happy to have something to do that didn’t require a lot of thinking.

“Let go of me, you—predator!”

“Simmer down, will ya? Boss wants to feed you before you leave, that’s all.”

“Yeah, feed me to who? You again?”

Red carried Sans into the kitchen, the bunny struggling to pull himself out of the wolf’s grasp.

“It really is okay, brother!” Papyrus tried to reassure him. “Just stay a few minutes and try the casserole. I’m sure you’ll like it.”

Sans managed to push himself out of Red’s hands just as the wolf was setting him down, and fell onto the table. “Like hell I’m gonna … Well … Maybe just a minute while I catch my breath.” He had probably been convinced by the delicious smell coming from the dish Edge carried to the table. Papyrus hoped he would stay long enough for them to finish making the salad.

Edge gave Sans the only-slightly-too-big fork that Papyrus always used, and a serving of casserole only two or three times too big for a single bunny. Sans didn’t hesitate to dig in.

“How is it?” Papyrus asked as Edge came back to the counter to help him with the salad.

“Not that bad,” Sans admitted between forkfuls. “Though anything’s good when you’re hungry. Being attacked by a murderous wolf will take it out of ya.”

“I ain’t murdered no one.” Red bristled.

“You just now tried to eat me.”

“I did eat you. But I didn’t murder you, did I?”

“It’s true, he did the same thing to me,” Papyrus chimed in.

“And you’re sticking around here waiting for him to finish the job?” Sans snapped. “What in stars’ name are you thinking?”

“The food isn’t bad,” suggested Red.

“Doesn’t matter if you end up food yourself,” Sans argued, but he kept eating, and when Edge brought him some salad he dug into that too.

“I helped make this! What do you think?” Papyrus knew he had improved while cooking with Edge, and he was eager for his brother to notice.

“Yeah, that explains why the slices are so uneven.”

“The knife is a little unwieldy,” Papyrus said in his own defense.

Sans rolled his eyelights and ate in silence until he was full, then got to his feet and stretched. “You wolves gonna open the door for me or do I have to fight my way out?”

“Sans! You didn’t even say thank you!”

“What, for kidnapping me?” Sans glared at him and he wilted immediately.

Red snapped his teeth menacingly. “He’s right. The least you can do is thank Boss for the meal. Tell you what. If you can do that, I’ll open the door for you. It’s too big and heavy for a little bunny. And if you can’t, I’ll eat you again, but less gentle-like.”

Sans turned his glare on Red. “Yeah, thanks a lot,” he said in a sarcastic tone.

“That’s good enough,” Edge declared, clearly just losing patience with the two monsters’ bickering. “Come, I’ll escort you myself. Since you’re Papyrus’s brother.”

Sans made a rude gesture at Red and then hurried to catch up with Edge, leaving the smaller wolf fuming.


End file.
